The Prison Test

Lessons from Joseph
Have you ever found yourself being punished for doing the right thing? You strive to live a life that is pleasing before God, you maintain your purity and you keep to godly values but you still come out as the evil one and you end up being punished. That’s the story of Joseph. His brothers put him in a pit and sold him off as a slave. For some time in Potiphar’s house, it seems like things are getting better for him. God’s favor is upon him and soon enough though he is a slave he is promoted to basically make decisions in his master’s house. Then when things seem to be getting better, all hell breaks loose.

Genesis 39:19-22
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Just because you do the right thing does not mean that you will not end up in trouble. Trouble will find you, it will look for you and find you just like with the example of Daniel. For many of us if we were to be honest with ourselves, if this kind of situation happens to us then we would come to the conclusion that God has forsaken us. The prison test comes down to the attitude of our hearts. This is the second time Joseph finds himself in some sort of pit because someone did not like him. His brothers lied to their father and made him conclude that Joseph had been mauled and killed by a wild animal. Now Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses Joseph of attempted rape and he is thrown into prison without any kind of trial.

Maybe like Joseph you feel taken advantage of, those who are telling your story are telling lies and because they have more authority than you then no one bothers to hear your side of the story. The bondage you find yourself in is because of someone else’s lies.

The big question remains, what is the attitude of your heart?
Will you allow resentment and un forgiveness to take root?
Will you allow your circumstances to change your output?
Because Joseph’s heart was clean, God was with him and even in the prison dungeons he prospered so much in what he did that just like in Potiphar’s house, even in prison his work ethic and sense of responsibility made him stand out. It’s never about where you are, it’s always about what’s in you.

DECLARATION
I will not allow the prison bars to intimidate me. The God who delivered me from the pit will also deliver me from this prison. I declare that just like in Potiphar’s house I will prosper in this prison because it is never about where I am but always about who is in me, Greater is He who is in me than he who is the world.